Page 4

Trey sucked in a sharp breath when his gaze landed on the trio of men standing amidst the trees on the other side of the paddocks. Or more to the point, the wiry blond that stood in front of the other pair. The guy still wore the same jeans and flannel that fit him so nicely, and Trey couldn’t wait to peel those clothes from his body.

Licking his lips, Trey took a step toward Ulkna, and that seemed to be enough to end the staring contest.

Ulkna hopped the paddock fence and began striding swiftly toward him, cutting across the horse enclosure.

“Uh, Uncle Trey,”

Reagan called nervously.

“You, uh, want some more clothes?”

His voice lowered to a mutter as he added.

“Shoes, maybe?”

Trey hesitated, glancing over his shoulder at his nephew. As much as he wanted to just run to his mate, capture his lips, and start exploring, he needed to keep his wits about him, too. He didn’t know these shifters, after all.

“Uh, yeah,”

Trey replied softly, nodding at Reagan.

“Clothes would be good.”

Turning his attention back to Ulkna, Trey watched him move through the paddocks. The pair behind him followed, the redhead leading and keeping his body partially in front of the other man protectively. Trey recalled that he was Payson, the black-haired man was his human mate, Land, and he had a fairly important position in the...gang. Payson was also keeping a wary eye on Reagan while sweeping his gaze over the area, giving the horses a much wider berth than Ulkna. Trey’s mate seemed to easily read the eating animals, knowing which ones would ignore him and which ones were more aggressive about their hay.

“Hi, Ulkna,”

Trey greeted as he watched the agile male hop over the last fence separating them. Licking his lips, he found his mouth watering with his desire to taste the approaching male.

“I’m Trey.”

“Hello, Trey,”

Ulkna greeted, stopping only a foot before him. A warm smile curved his thin lips while hunger filled his hazel eyes. He stared up at Trey, holding his gaze confidently, regardless of their three-inch height difference.

“It’s so very good to meet you officially.”

Instead of offering his hand, Ulkna reached out and rested his hands on Trey’s waist. He rubbed his thumbs over the sides of his abdominals, sending goose bumps through his torso. Trey sucked in a sharp breath, and Ulkna’s masculine scent flooded his senses.

After swallowing hard, Trey whispered.

“Good to meet you, too.”

His voice came out huskier than he could ever remember it being, and he cleared his throat reflexively.

“Uh, so you found our evening paddocks.”

Ulkna smiled, his expression hungry as he roved his gaze over Trey’s torso. “Yeah.”

Lifting his attention back to Trey’s face, he declared.

“Couldn’t stay away.”

“Uh, Uncle Trey?”

Reagan’s uncertain voice yanked Trey’s attention from Ulkna’s handsome features.

“Yeah, hey,”

he responded inanely.

“Uh, this is Ulkna, my mate.”

Geez, standing before my mate is making me out as a moron.

Hoping to get a few brain cells to fire, Trey began to draw away from Ulkna, planning to put a little space between them. His mate’s low growl of displeasure caused him to still as his brows shot up. Even Trey’s equine nickered inside him, wanting to please Ulkna, to make him happy.

To that end, Trey pivoted and rested his left hand on the small of Ulkna’s back. The move gave him the bit of space he needed while keeping close to his mate. That seemed to settle Ulkna, too, for he mirrored the move, his palm sliding over Trey’s bare back.

Ulkna’s touch caused tingles to sweep up and down Trey’s spine, but he did his best to ignore it...for the moment.

“Uh, Ulkna, this is my nephew, Reagan.”

With his right hand, he indicated Reagan.

“He keeps me and my secret safe.”

Reagan shifted his weight from foot to foot in obvious discomfort as he gave an awkward wave. “Hey.”

“Your nephew?”

Ulkna questioned.

As Trey nodded, Reagan clarified.

“Great nephew, technically.”

He pointed at Trey.

“Uncle Trey is my grandfather’s brother.”

With a roll of a shoulder, he amended.

“Half-brother, but our family never made the distinction.”

“And you know about shifters, huh?”

Payson drew closer and grinned widely at him.

“Cool. It’s good to have help when you’re alone.”

Then the redhead’s brows drew together in speculation.

“You are alone, right, Trey? We aren’t aware of this bein’ any shifter’s territory, and we haven’t scented any others around.”

Trey shook his head, doing his best not to be distracted by the way Ulkna’s fingertips teased over the knobs of his spine.

“Oh, no, I don’t have a herd,”

he confirmed. Grimacing as he thought back to the last herd he’d been a part of, he told them.

“My mother was human, true mated to my shifter father. She’d already had a son with another, a human who was no longer in the picture, but my brother was treated like a part of the herd even though he was human.”

“My grandfather, David,”

Reagan cut in.

Trey nodded, smiling as he recalled fond memories of growing up with his older brother.

“David fell in love and married a human woman, and our herd alpha allowed him to share our secrets with her. They were good together, had two sons, who also knew about us, Will and Colton.”

“Will’s my father,”

Reagan cut in, getting in on the explanation.

“He and my mom are living near the south rim and run a bed and breakfast.”

With a low chuckle, Reagan shoved his hands into his pockets.

“We get a lot of referrals from them.”

Trey reached out and squeezed Reagan’s shoulder.

“They love that you do what makes you happy.”

“That doesn’t explain your lack of herd,”

Payson pointed out.

“Sorry, got a little off track there,”

Trey said with a laugh.

“Anyway, the herd I was affiliated with is probably still in southern Oklahoma. Our alpha died in an accident. A flood, and our beta took over.”

With a sigh, Trey admitted.

“He wasn’t a strong leader, and it didn’t take long for the head enforcer to challenge him, win, and start making plenty of changes.”

Trey focused on Reagan as he murmured.

“Including kicking out any non-shifter. So our family left and made our own way.”

Resting his hand on his nephew’s shoulder, Trey added.

“That was over twenty-five years ago.”

Payson growled, the sound soft and low.

“Tell me who the fuck he is,”

he demanded, his lip curling in obvious disgust.

“We’ll report him to the council.”

Trey felt his eyes widen, surprise flooding him.

“You can do that?”

“Sure as fuck can,”

Payson declared.

“And they care?”

Trey couldn’t fathom it.

“Yup.”

Land had seemed a little bouncy and maybe a bit nerdy while on the ride, but the expression he sported right then was almost feral, very similar to his mate’s.

“And they’re cracking down on alphas trying to separate true mates, regardless of gender or race.”

“But they’re the alpha.”

The idea of someone trying to regulate the alpha just wasn’t computing.

“They’re word is law.”

“Not no more,”

Payson countered in a sing-song voice.

Trey scoffed softly.

“Okay. I’ll give you what I can.”

As Payson nodded, he turned his attention to Ulkna.

“So, uh, anyway.”

Trey hesitated, uncertain how to ask for what he wanted...time alone with his mate.

Fortunately, Trey’s growling stomach helped him out.

“Guess you didn’t eat your hay,”

Payson teased, his attitude changing on a dime. Waggling his brows, he focused on Ulkna.

“I’ll text Yuma. He and Hunter can set up a picnic somewhere reasonably close to where we’re setting up camp.”

Payson winked while leering.

“But not too close. Somewhere...secluded...so ya can get to know each other better.”

Land giggled.

Reagan’s cheeks started to pinken.

Trey had to fight against a blush of his own.

Ulkna rolled his eyes.

“So, uh, should I expect you back here by morning?”

Reagan asked, worriedly rubbing the back of his neck.

“Or do I need to make up a story about finding a problem bad enough to pull you from the string?”

Trey smiled warmly at his nephew, loving that he could always count on the young man.

“No, I’ll be back before morning feed,”

he assured. Seeing Ulkna’s furrowed brows and questioning look, Trey explained.

“Morning feed is at six, giving the mounts plenty of time to enjoy their hay and grain before being pulled for grooming and tacking at eight-thirty.”

Seeing Ulkna’s disappointed expression coupled with the way he opened and closed his mouth, as if to question him further, Trey quickly added.

“I only have one more day before I’m supposed to be taken off rotation for a rest.”

“A rest?”

Ulkna asked.

Trey nodded as he took the t-shirt, socks, and boots from Reagan. “Yeah,”

he began as he pulled on first the socks and boots. Straightening, Trey explained.

“Each horse is on a rotation. Working four days, then taken to the ranch for two days off. This company takes damn good care of their mounts.”

Reagan nodded.

“They know that their business is only as good as their horses.”

Ulkna began to nod, then looked alarmed.

“Are you owned by the company?”

Shaking his head, Trey chuckled.

“On paper, I’m owned by Reagan.”

He yanked the shirt over his head, grinning at Ulkna’s confused features as he settled it into place.

“A little over five years ago, it was time for me to step back from society, so we came up with this idea.”

Waving at Reagan, Trey told him.

“We forged documents that said Reagan bought me at auction, and he leases me to the trail company.”

“How hard will it be to get out of that lease?”

Payson asked, glancing between them.

“You know, so you don’t have to do this every day.”

“Uh...”

Leave his job? Trey hadn’t considered that. As odd as it might seem to others, he found the monotony soothing. He pretty much always knew what to expect. He even enjoyed the company of the other horses. In a weird way, they almost felt like younger brothers and sisters. After a glance at Reagan, Trey met Ulkna’s intense, hazel-eyed gaze.

“I-I guess...that’s something that we’ll have to figure out.”

Ulkna nodded slowly. “Right,”

he murmured. His lips curved into an understanding smile.

“I hear matings take compromise and communication.”

Trey chuckled.

“I’ve heard and seen that, too.”

Pulling away from Ulkna, he gave Reagan a quick hug, whispering.

“I’ll see you in the morning.”

Reagan returned his squeeze, murmuring back.

“Have a good night.”

Before he released Trey, he softly added.

“And be careful, Uncle.”

“I will,”

Trey assured. As he drew away, he cupped his nephew’s jaw and gave him a reassuring smile. Then Trey drew away and turned to his mate and his friends.

“So, uh, dinner?”

“Sure thing,”

Payson quipped, pulling out his phone and starting back the way they’d come.

Ulkna surprised Trey by taking his hand and twining their fingers together. When he looked at the slightly smaller man, he winked and gave his hand a squeeze. Letting out a pleased breath, Trey squeezed Ulkna’s hand back.

“Come on,”

Ulkna urged, tipping his head toward Payson and Land’s retreating figures.

“Let’s go spend some time together.”

Trey nodded. “Yeah.”

They made their way through the horse paddocks, Ulkna releasing his hand only long enough to help Trey over the fences, even though he didn’t need it. The trek took them back through the paddocks, the horses distracting them. Many of the animals knew and liked Trey and hurried over to him for attention and pets, which Trey was happy to give.

To Trey’s pleasure, Ulkna didn’t rush him, and he even offered the friendly mounts pets and scratches, too.

Eventually, Ulkna helped Trey out of the last paddock where Payson waited, leaning against a tree. He had his arms wrapped around Land’s waist, holding him against his chest. His head was dipped, and he was placing suckling kisses along the column of the human’s neck.

With the way Land relaxed in the shifter’s arms, they both appeared completely comfortable with showing and accepting affection.

Trey didn’t think he’d ever seen men quite so...relaxed with expressing their obvious love.

Huh. Wonder what that’s like.

After glancing discreetly at Ulkna, Trey wondered if he would eventually find out.

“Come on, guys,”

Payson encouraged, easing Land forward and turning him toward the trees.

“Yuma told me roughly where they set you up.”

With an eyebrow waggle, he told them.

“They even found a tent and sleeping bags.”

A surge of anticipation and heat rushed through Trey, and while his stomach rumbled again, butterflies bumped within, too, and he wasn’t certain if it was due to the promise of a meal or thinking of a night alone with his newly found mate.